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VERMONT SOCIETY OF HEALTH-SYSTEM PHARMACISTS, INC. BY-LAWS

ARTICLE 1. NAME, OBJECTIVES AND DEFINITIONS

A. NAME – The corporation shall be known as the Vermont Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. (“VtSHP” or the “Corporation”).

B. The objectives of the Corporation shall be: 

1.    To advance public health by promoting the professional interests of Pharmacists practicing in hospitals and other organized health care settings:

a. Fostering pharmaceutical services aimed at drug use control and rational drug therapy.

b. Developing professional standards for pharmaceutical services.

c. Fostering an adequate supply of well trained, competent pharmacists and technicians and other associated personnel.

d. Developing and conducting programs for maintaining and improving competence of pharmacists and technicians and associated personnel.

e. Disseminating information about pharmaceutical services and rational drug use.

f. Improving communication among pharmacists, other members of the health care industry, and the public.

g. Promoting research in the health and pharmaceutical sciences and in pharmaceutical services.

h. Promoting the economic welfare of pharmacists, technicians and other associated personnel.

2. To foster rational drug use in society such as through advocating appropriate public policies toward that end. 

3. To pursue any other lawful activity that may be authorized by VtSHP’s Board of Directors.

ARTICLE 2. MEMBERSHIP

A. MEMBERS – The membership of the Corporation shall consist of active, associate and honorary members as provided in the By-Laws.

1. Active members shall be Pharmacists and Technicians licensed by any state, district or territory of the United States, who have paid dues as established by VtSHP. Only active members may vote on amendments to the Articles of Incorporation, and elect or serve as an officer of VtSHP. Only Pharmacists may serve as State Delegates. Active members are encouraged to be members of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists.

2. Associate members in the Corporation shall consist of supporting members, student members as well as other pharmacy supportive personnel. Associate members shall receive publications and general communications of the Corporation, may attend meetings, may be granted the privilege of the floor, but are not entitled to hold elected office nor have voting privileges.

a. Supporting members may be any individual who by their work in health services, the teaching of prospective pharmacists or otherwise contributing to hospital pharmacy, makes themselves eligible for membership. Supporting members are encouraged to be members of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists.

b. Student members are individuals enrolled in an undergraduate program in an accredited College of Pharmacy. Student members are encouraged to be members of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, student member category.

3. Honorary Members are individuals who are or have been especially interested in, or who have made outstanding contributions to professional pharmacy practice. Honorary members shall not pay dues but may vote or hold office if otherwise eligible for active membership.

 

ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP DUES

Dues for active and associate members shall be recommended and approved by the Board of Directors and approved by general membership.

 

ARTICLE 4. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS

A. ACTIVE MEMBERS - Application for active membership shall submitted through the corporation website. In the absence of the organization website, applications may be forwarded to the Secretary or Treasurer of the corporation. Dues should accompany the application. The Secretary or Treasurer may approve all applications for membership, or when there is doubt as to the qualifications of the applicant, they may require concurrence by the Board of Directors. When an active member so changes their vocation as to no longer fit the definition of an active member, they may automatically become an associate member with the rights and privileges of associate membership.

B. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS – Application for associate membership shall be approved as indicated for active members.

C. HONORARY MEMBERS – Nominations for honorary membership shall be approved by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE 5. PERIOD OF MEMBERSHIP

The period of membership shall be from November 1 to the last day of October of the following year, each and every year.

Any member arrears in dues shall cease to be a member of the Corporation, and may be reinstated as a member provided their payment of membership dues is made.

 

ARTICLE 6. MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

The Corporation shall hold an annual meeting of members, either within or without the State of Vermont, at a time and place stated in the notice to members (hereinafter referred to as the “Annual Meeting”). At the Annual Meeting, the President and Treasurer shall report on the activities and financial condition of the Corporation and the members may consider and act upon other matters raised consistent with these By-Laws and Vermont’s Nonprofit Corporation Act.

 

ARTICLE 7. QUORUM/PROXY

One-third of active members attending the Annual Meeting shall constitute a quorum. Members may not appoint a proxy to attend a vote in their place.

 

ARTICLE 8. OFFICERS

The officers of the Corporation shall be the President, the Immediate Past President, the President Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Pharmacy Technicians Representative. Only active members of VtSHP in good standing with the Vermont Board of Pharmacy may serve as officers. No person with a criminal record or suspended professional credentials (as verified by the Board) may serve as an officer of VtSHP.

The President Elect shall be elected annually for a term of one year and shall successfully ascend to the Office of President and Immediate Past President for a year in each position.

The Secretary, Treasurer and Pharmacy Technician Representative shall be elected annually.

Two At-Large Pharmacist Representatives shall be elected to two year terms on alternate years.

Authority is granted to the Board of Directors to appoint one non-voting student Representative and one non-voting Pharmacist Resident Representative to serve terms with start and end dates determined by the Board of Directors.

Pharmacists may run for President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, Secretary, and At-large potions. The existence of a Pharmacist Resident Representative does not preclude Pharmacist Residents from running for elected positions.

Pharmacy Technicians may run for Pharmacy Technician Representative, Secretary and Treasurer.

A. NOMINATION, ELECTION, COUNTING OF BALLOTS, INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS.

Nominations of candidates for the offices of President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Pharmacy Technician, and At-Large Pharmacist Representative will be solicited via email from members at large no less than 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Electronic ballots for nominations will be sent to active members providing at least a two-week period for voting. For any contested races, an electronic ballot will be created and sent to members no less than 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Ballots must be completed within 7 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Each member may vote only once in each category. A majority vote shall constitute election.

Newly elected officers shall be installed at the Annual Meeting. The installation of newly elected officers may occur outside of the Annual Meeting in the event that an officer has not been selected for each position prior to the Annual Meeting, a representative from ASHP is not able to attend the Annual Meeting, or the Annual Meeting in unable to take place in the spring. Existing Board Officers will continue to perform their roles until the newly elected officers have been installed and transitioned into their position. 

B. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

In general, the officer calendar year begins and ends on the first of May and should include a transition period prior to transfer of responsibilities from existing to new officer. This timeline is subject to change and may be defined by the Board of Directors.

Officers should make a concerted effort to attend all meetings called by the Chairman. Should an officer be unable to attend the majority of meetings called by the Chairman, a new officer may be appointed as outlines in Article 8.C. to fulfill the remainder of the term if deemed necessary by the Board.

PRESIDENT – The President shall preside at all meetings. They shall appoint all special committees and shall be ex-office member of each. This is otherwise known as Chairman.

PRESIDENT ELECT – The President Elect shall perform the duties of President in the absence of the President and shall serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT – They shall serve on the Board of Directors, shall serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors in the absence of the President and President Elect.

SECRETARY – The Secretary’s duties shall include keeping the minutes of all meetings, maintaining roll of members, receiving and preparing all correspondence of the Corporation, mailing minutes, forwarding all funds received to the Treasurer or President and approving all applications according to these By-Laws.

TREASURER – The duties of the Treasurer shall include receiving and keeping accounts of all monies received by the Corporation in the form of dues or remittances and shall disburse at the direction of the Board of Directors.

AT-LARGE PHARMACISITS – The At-Large Pharmacist Representatives shall serve on the Board of Directors and shall support taking meeting minutes in the absence of the secretary, advocate for the needs of the profession and other duties as identified by the Board of Directors.

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN REPRESENTATIVE – The Technician Representative duties involve keeping member technicians informed of Corporation functions and answering related questions in conjunction with the other members of the Board, and advocating for the needs of technicians of the profession.

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE – The Student Representative duties involved keeping students and faculty informed of Corporation functions and advocating for the needs of pharmacy students.

PHARMACIST RESIDENT – The Pharmacist Resident duties involve keeping other Pharmacist Residents informed of Corporation functions and advocating for the needs of Pharmacist Residents.

C. VACANCIES

In the event that an elected officer is unable to perform the duties of that office, authority is granted to the President to appoint a member to fill any vacancies mid-term, with the exception of the President Elect.

1. To fill a vacancy for President Elect after the annual Election, the Board of Directors shall present two nominations to the active membership for a special election.

2. If both the President and President Elect shall become unable to perform the duties of their office, the Board of Directors shall appoint from the membership of the Board of Directors a President pro tempore to serve the remaining portion of the unexpired term. At the next Annual Meeting of the Corporation, nominations shall be presented by the Committee on Nominations for the offices of President and President Elect and an election conducted in accordance with the provisions of the By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE 9. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A. COMPOSITION - The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, At-Large Pharmacist Representatives, and Pharmacy Technician Representatives in voting roles. Student and Pharmacist Resident Representatives will serve in non-voting roles. Directors must be active members of VtSHP. No person with a criminal record or suspended professional credentials (as verified by the Board) may serve as a Director of VtSHP.

B. TERM - Elected officers shall serve for a term of one year from June 1 to May 31 with the exception of the President who serves for 3 one-year terms and At-Large Pharmacists who serve for alternating two year terms. Student and Pharmacist Resident Representatives will serve terms determined by the Board of Directors.

C. OFFICERS – The President of the Corporation shall serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors.

D. MEETINGS – The Board of Directors may meet at the call of the Chairman.

E. QUORUM – A majority of the voting members of the  Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

F. RESPONSIBILITIES – The Board of Directors shall have charge of the property of the Corporation and shall have authority to control and manage the affairs and funds of the Corporation; to supervise all publications of the Corporation and to select editors for Corporation publications; to make ultimate decisions regarding the acts of committees and officers on professional matters as well as administrative; to accept on behalf of the Corporation grants, contribution gifts, bequests or devices to further the purpose of the Corporation; to do and perform all acts and functions not inconsistent with these By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE 10. COMMITTEE CHAIRS

The committee chairs will be nominated and voted on by the active membership on an annual basis. In the event that a committee chair position is vacant, the President shall appoint chairs of councils and committees as are required.

FUNCTION - In working toward achievement of the objectives of the Corporation, each council and/or committee shall function in development and advisory capacity, developing and implementing programs authorized by the Board of Directors and recommending programs and policies to the Board of Directors in the major area of Corporation interest to which it is assigned. Committees are developed as deemed appropriate by the Board.

Membership/Program Committee – This committee’s focus is on membership recruitment and engagement. They assist the Board with outreach, meeting and event planning, advertising, public relations, and surveying members.

Legislation Committee – The committee’s focus is on the promotion of the professional interests of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and advancing patient care via education and lobbying directed toward local and/or federal law makers.

 

ARTICLE 11. AMENDMENTS

Every proposition to alter or amend by the By-Laws shall be submitted by an active member at a regular meeting of the Corporation and shall be approved by a majority of the active membership in attendance. It shall be submitted to the entire membership for vote by paper (US mail or at the Annual Meeting) or electronic (e-mail) ballot, voting only once by whichever means suits the member.

 Adopted June 2023


Copyright Vermont Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2022

 


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